This page is to collect all the information related to Firaxis' upcoming XCOM 2 game, released through official channels and confirmed sources. XCOM 2 will be released on February 5, 2016. On September 10, 2015, the game was released for pre-order on steam.2122

When adding new info please make sure to properly attribute its source(s). If there are conflicting pieces of information from different sources, list both and add them the {{Verify}} template. Any discussion/speculation about the game should be kept away from this page, use instead the Talk:XCOM2 page.

Storyline

The new game takes place 20 years after Earth's surrender to the aliens during the invasion. According to Jake Solomon, XCOM lost the initial alien invasion and as Earth surrendered, XCOM went underground to continue the fighting3.

According to XCOM 2' storyline, XCOM never made it out of conventional weapons before the surrender. To Firaxis, the first game has ended with the same result of the majority of games played on Impossible Ironman, with a loss for the player. According to official stats, only 1.1% of players have earned the achievement for winning on Impossible and 1.7% for completing Ironman. 10

The aliens established a world government called 'Advent Administration' staffed with human collaborators and their propaganda claims that the aliens had came initially in peace but by engaging the aliens in combat XCOM has caused countless casualties. They also created a holiday called 'Unification Day' to mark the date of their take over of Earth. 12

The alien overlords have built megacities where war, poverty, crime and disease are supposedly eradicated, but which only serve as a cover for more sinister plans for humankind. Those cities have been built to attract the human population into them by offering gene therapy4.

The rest of humanity lives on the wilderness, where XCOM operates and there will also be missions there. Variety of combat environments.

Engine

Wide mod support: you can create maps, new races, story lines and campaigns and share them via Steam Workshop.

Game will be PC exclusive.

XCOM 2 will run on a heavy modified version of the Unreal Engine 3.5 6.

DLCs

Three DLCs have been already announced as part of XCOM: Reinforcement Pack31:

Anarchy's Children - more content to customize soldiers as guerrilla fighters (coming on Spring 2016)

Alien Hunters - new mission, customization, armor, weapons to play as an elite unit tracking high profile aliens (Spring 2016)

Shen's Legacy - new soldier class, with the additional weapons, etc., as well as an extra mission (Summer 2016)

Characters

The XCOM Commander (a.k.a. the player) was apparently captured by the aliens some time after XCOM's surrender and placed in stasis. The game begins with the rescue of the Commander by the new XCOM (which was cobbled together from the few old veterans like Bradford and new recruits).

John Bradford reappears on XCOM 2 still in his role as 'Central'. 10 According to the developers Bradford has been on the run until XCOM was reinstated, and until then he was a broken man due to the Council's betrayal that led to the defeat of XCOM during the invasion. Bradford's first name was revealed by the developers on the media blitz before the release.

Dr. Vahlen also appears on the prequel book that was launched before the release of the game, although at end she disappears and it is implied that she has been captured by the aliens.

Dr. Richard Tygan replaces Vahlen as the lead scientist onboard the Avenger. He was a former Advent researcher who decided to fight the aliens after witnessing their actions. According to Jake Solomon, Tygan's last name comes from his two favorite scientists: Dr. Carl Sagan and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson30

Dr. Raymond Shen has passed away during the 20 years since XCOM lost the war, although he did manage to successfully teach his daughter, everything he knew, allowing her to take up his position in the organization.20

The position of Chief Engineer is now taken by An-Yi "Lily" Shen, who is responsible for the Avenger and has her own personal GREMLIN drone.

Avenger

XCOM HQ is now a captured Alien Supply Ship that has been converted as a mobile command center to waging a guerrilla style war against the aliens, named Avenger, as a nod to the Avenger of the original game

Soldiers

The squad at the beginning of the game is not an elite force, but the player is in charge of a 'rag tag, freedom fighters, guerrilla fighters. They look like irregular troops.

Soldiers appear to have 'Character Skills' (check Tactical picture)

Customization now also applies to left/right arms, shoulders, etc., to reflect the rag tag nature of XCOM. Characters can also earn unique characterization features. Possible to change the gender/nationality of all human units.

Squad sizes remain at 4-6 units.

Carrying ability - when evacuating it is possible for soldiers to carry back to base the bodies of their injured or dead comrades4.

All classes are capable of hacking, however only the Specialist can perform some hacks. Hacking includes devices, terminals, robotic aliens and possibly other targets.9.

Customized soldiers can be saved to a player's pool of possible soldiers, allowing them to appear in a different campaign.24

Pre-ordering the game grants access to the Resistance Warrior Pack, which features new customization options for your soldiers as well as a "Survivor of the Old War".2122

Grenadier

The two ability trees for the Grenadier are called Demo expert and Heavy Gunner.25

Wield a Grenade Launcher and a Cannon.25

Can be trained to focus on demoltion with the Grenade Launcher, or on making the most of the cannon.25

New ability, Salvo, allows the Grenadier to use a grenade or heavy weapon without ending his turn.25

Shredder ability, disintegrates enemy armor25

New ability, Rupture, a "critical damage attack" that ensures the affected unit takes increased damage from all future attacks.25

Combat System

At the start of mission the player will have to move its units without being detected to their objectives. A lot of different elements can break concealment, not just enemies but civilians as well. Scanners can also break concealment4.

Every XCOM unit starts the mission in concealment.8.

XCOM now always has the first shot (aliens don't scatter for cover when activated) due to more emphasis on stealth and soldier placement before the shooting starts.

Aliens will react differently when XCOM reveals its presence: some may still scatter or be completely surprised.4.

New concealment system that uses waypoints to move and set up soldiers.

Loot system - timers to recover items carried by dead aliens or even your own fallen soldiers (similar to Meld on EW). Inventory plays a bigger role since XCOM is also living off loot and scavenging.

Weapon upgrades - variety of those4.

Autoloaders - Grants free reload17.

Expanded Magazines - Increased ammo capacity17.

Can be salvaged from the battlefield and needs to be researched before use17.

Secondary mission objectives that can be completed instead of the primary one.

Call for EVAC can be done anywhere on the map on most mission types, as long as there is space for the Skyranger to land. There's still a danger of getting stopped by enemies when trying to reach the area designated for evacuation4.

Meld will not be a part of the game and XCOM will not be able to create MEC Troopers, although Advent will use them 13.

Maps

Procedure generated maps. Large set of tiles (buildings, etc.) which are combined together to create maps. AI also made more procedural to better use the new map system. Terrain will be more dynamic and destructible, including exploding barrels and acid holes. Even floors and ceilings are destructable4.

Free Aim (being able to target any feature, including terrain) will still be limited to weapons such grenades and rockets.7

According to Lead Producer Garth DeAngelis, each map is a 'quilt' with holes where buildings are plugged, and the space between the buildings can be occupied with elements to display a variety of environments. 5.

The space can be occupied by a variety of elements, and there are about 20 'diorama' sets that can be used when designing maps.

Aliens/Enemies

The aliens have evolved significantly over 20 years and are much stronger; XCOM soldiers will not be able to take on aliens on their own early on.4

Both new and old aliens are present.

There are yet undisclosed mechanical aliens.9

Aliens are able to call for reinforcements at any time.12

Advent Troopers - human soldiers which act as city security on behalf of the aliens. They carry magnetic weaponry.423

Speak a language unlike any human ones, and are nicknamed "Jabbers" by XCOM soldiers because of it.19

Genetically modified to the point of inhuman, with no hair, flattened ears, and large, silvery eyes far apart with no orbs or pupils.19